The Unclassed

sively the congenial task of guiding the household, and even of disciplining the school. In lesson-time she would even flit about the classrooms, and n

centrated itself. He was, in truth, as offensive a young imp as the soil of a middle-class boarding-school could well produce. If Mrs. Tootle ruled the Academy, he in turn ruled Mrs. Tootle, and on all occasions showed himself a most exemplary autocrat. His position, however, as in the case of certain other autocratic rulers, had its disadv

uty, for, in addition to the lively spite of Master Felix and the other children, he had to face the awful superintendence of Mrs. Tootle herself; who was invariably present at these lessons. Mrs. Tootle had somehow conceived the idea that French was a second mother-tongue to her, and her intercourse with Mr. Egger was invariably carried

ng. "Quel un beau matin! Vous trouverez les jeun

y standing a book upright on the teacher's chair, so that when Egger subsided

Les jeunes messieurs anglais sont plus spirituels que les

ered the teacher, nervou

of good humour, "est-ce vrai ce qu'on dit que les Suis

hair, looked about him with an anguished mute appeal for help. Mrs. Tootle repeated her question with emphasis and a change of countenance which he knew too well. The poor fellow had not the

s head with his hands and wept, regardless of the boy strumming his exercises on the piano. Waymark shortl

have made my possib

ome little awe by both of them. The lady had at first tried the effect of interfering in

d to listen to our friend's explanation of some rule in English grammar; "don't you think it would be

I think the terms of the compendium are r

it has never yet been found unsatisfactory. Whilst you are disco

, but kept silence. M

ng for, Mr. Waymark

stract the boys' attention, Mrs. Too

d his calm silence, she had no alternative but to wi

was as much as he could do to refrain from taking her part, and defending her against Mrs. Tootle. He had never been formally introduced to Miss Enderby, and during several weeks held no kind of communication with her beyond a "good morning" when he entered the room and found her there. The first quarter of a year was drawing to a close when

dful trouble," he said, as he sto

d at being

replied, in the low sad voi

ted towards shortening that of ot

ggest, after a silence. "It would be a pleasure to t

eir parents had o

her hand seemed to warn him. The reason was that Mrs. Tootle stood in the doorway, to

ring them closer to each other; there was an unpremeditated touch of intimacy in the movement, which it pleased him to think of. This was by no means the first time that he had stood with thoughts busied about her, but the brief exchange of words and what had followed gave something of a new complexion to his feelings. Previously he had been interested in her; her striking features had made him wonder what was the history which their expression concealed; but her extreme reticence and the timid coldness of her look had

Day after day, he schemed to obtain an opportunity of speaking with her again, and he fancied that she herself helped to remove any chances that might have occurred. Throughout his lessons, his attention remained fixed upon her; he studied her face intently, and was constantly discovering in it new meanings. When she caught his eyes thus busy with her, she evinced, for a moment, trouble and uneasiness; he felt sure that she arranged her seat so as to have her back to him more frequently than she had been accustomed to do

e meaning whereof he too well understood. There had been a week or two of prevailing bad weather, a state of things which always wrought harmfully upon him; his thoughts darkened under the dark sky, and the daily downpour of rain sapped his energies. It was w

oing to give up her position at the end of the quarter. Philip had gathered t

the schoolroom door. And I've never even had a chance of speaking to her. You know the tale of Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth. Su

O'Gree's habit to affect this violent devotion to each new governess

I'd two top-coats. Hang it! There's no behaving

, and the next morning came to school rather late. Dr. Tootle

tor remarked, when he had in vain tried to

r returned carelessly. "Perhaps we cou

otle, a little surprised at

tending to tasks. When Waymark entered, his first glance, as always, was towards the governess. She looked harassed and ill; was in vain endeavouring to exert some authority with her gentle voice. Her eyes showed unmistakable gratitude as the teacher appeared, for his approach meant that she wou

"give me your copy-book an

as they had probably never heard before. With a grip impossible even to struggle against, Waymark held the young imp under his arm, and plied the broken pointer with great vigour; the stripes were almost as loud as the roarings. There was a rush from the rooms below in the direction of the disturbance; all the boys were in a trice leaping about delightedly on the stairs, and behind them came O'Gree, Egger, and Dr. Tootle himself. From the room above rushed out all the young Tootles, yelling for help. Last of all, from still h

. "How dare you touch my child? You shall

the crowd of cheering boys, "what's the meaning of this? You forget

er sufficiently to give him a portion of his deserts. If you wish to know the immed

and this disgraceful lack of discipline. Every boy who is not at his seat in one minute will have five hundr

with Dr. Tootle. The latter had all at on

ved castigation of some kind, but you would have done much better to report him to me, you know, and let me see to it. You have put

is face which one could at any time have detected lurking beneath the hard self-control which usually m

not be easy to get another teache

could be dispensed with; I think I may promise that it can be. The lad will be no worse for his

mean to give up teaching altogether; it doesn't suit me.

d have been given me at the beginning

ll legally owe me nothing

o consider it. But I

ned, the matter is dec

f course you do as you please. If Mrs. Tootle should press me

ning, Dr.

ten in his pocket, being half the quarter's salary. He had not applied for this, but did not refuse it when it was offered. Seeing that the total amount of cash previously in his po